2 minute read
Europe’s empires
from WHEN ON EARTH
by LumyDrag
Austria-Hungary The second-largest empire in Europe was invited to the Berlin Conference, which was to decide who was going to colonize Africa. It did not claim any land, however.
NORTH AMERICA
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The Caribbean Islands throughout the region were shared among European empires.
EUROPE
Former colonies Spain and Portugal had colonized most of Central and South America 300 years earlier, but in the early 1800s, revolutions gained these countries their independence.
SOUTH AMERICA AFRICA
Liberia Americans created this territory in 1822 as a country for freed AfricanAmerican slaves.
Congo Free State This was a private colony, or fiefdom, belonging to King Leopold of Belgium.
The Scramble for Africa
When Europeans entered Africa to help end the slave trade, they took the chance to occupy territory. This turned into a scramble for wealth and glory, so the Berlin Conference of 1884–1885 was organized to govern it. Africa was split among seven European powers, giving them land if they flew their nation’s flag there and made treaties with local leaders. These treaties, however, were mostly made by force. Orange Free State Now a part of South Africa, this region was controlled by Afrikaners (Boers, the descendants of Dutch settlers), who revolted against British political rule.
Ethiopia This is the only country in Africa never to have been colonized.
A French political cartoon passes comment on the Berlin Conference. It shows the German Chancellor cutting up African territory like a cake.
Christopher North (pen name of writer John Wilson), describing the British Empire, 1829
Europe’s empires
By 1900, the major powers in Europe had empires that stretched across the world. (There were other imperial powers, too, including China, Japan, and the US.) The European powers gained global importance and also wealth—by taking it from their colonies. The fiercest competition of the Russia Three-quarters of the Russian Empire was in Asia, with onequarter in Europe. It included around 200 small nations in India British rule, or Raj, divided India into eight provinces, each with its own governor. time was for control of Africa. addition to Russia.
ASIA
China The last dynasty of China—the Qing—ruled a huge empire including Mongolia and Tibet.
Japan Japan’s empire building accelerated after 1900, and the country annexed Korea in 1910.
Ottoman Empire One of the world’s longest-running empires, this Islamic empire lasted more than 620 years, until 1922.
KEY This map shows the extent of the European empires in 1900. Siam Known today as Thailand, Siam was one of the few countries not to be colonized by a European power. Kaiser-Wilhelmsland The farthest outpost of the German Empire was named after the emperor Wilhelm II. It is now the northern part of Papua New Guinea.
Australia Australia was made up of six independent British colonies. In 1900, they chose to become a federation, which remained a part of the British Empire.
Britain and possessions
Netherlands and possessions
Spain and possessions
Italy and possessions France and possessions
Portugal and possessions
Germany and possessions
Denmark and possessions Russian Empire
Ottoman Empire
